Baking Issues - Why won't it rise?

I find I usually have to add extra salt to the self rising flour here.  It's a lot more bland than the US stuff.

US self-rising flour is made with baking powder and salt : 1Cup flour + 1 1/2 tsp baking powder + 1/2 salt

UK self-rising flour is made without salt:  1 cup flour + 2 tsp baking powder

I do not use the self-rising flour as I find it doesn't work as well as just using plain flour and adding the baking powder myself.  I think that sometimes the self-rising flour is old and therefore the baking powder in it will not be as good. 

Perhaps you can get a UK recipe and compare the measurements to your US recipe and make adjustments accordingly.

Wow, Mrs. R, thanks for those links. They made my head spin a bit since I've never been into baking, but seeing as how I might like to start, I guess I can learn. In fact, I might be better off for not having baked much in the states.  Maybe I'll try some UK recipes for starters, instead of trying to bake American ones. What an idea, huh? 

Teletabby, you are more than welcome to toddle your pregnant self to my house and eat banana bread all day long. You can be my taste tester! 

When it comes to baking, I use UK recipes full stop. It's just easier that way and I'm guaranteed good outcomes!

When it comes to baking, I use UK recipes full stop. It's just easier that way and I'm guaranteed good outcomes!

That certainly makes sense to me! I've just found plenty of good UK recipes for cookies, cakes, and muffins that all sound delish. I think I could start there. 

See, I rarely had luck with the UK cake recipes. They always were too dry - whether by design or something I was doing. About the only cake I'd even order when out to dinner was carrot cake and even that was too dry for my taste.

I'm going to go post a recipe for a very light but moist chocolate cake now. It's dead easy and I had lots of luck with it in the UK even though it's an American recipe!

See, I rarely had luck with the UK cake recipes. They always were too dry - whether by design or something I was doing. About the only cake I'd even order when out to dinner was carrot cake and even that was too dry for my taste.

I'm going to go post a recipe for a very light but moist chocolate cake now. It's dead easy and I had lots of luck with it in the UK even though it's an American recipe!

Agreed. I think it'd the fact that UK cakes don't put milk in them that make them so dry and stodgy - like a brick. But hey, some people like a solid cake!

Agreed. I think it'd the fact that UK cakes don't put milk in them that make them so dry and stodgy - like a brick. But hey, some people like a solid cake!

My UK cakes aren't dry or solid! And I don't put milk in them!

My UK cakes aren't dry or solid! And I don't put milk in them!

That's because you have the magic touch!

That's because you have the magic touch!

LOL! I wish! But if you lived closer, I'd bake you a cake to prove that UK recipes are good! 

See, I rarely had luck with the UK cake recipes. They always were too dry - whether by design or something I was doing. About the only cake I'd even order when out to dinner was carrot cake and even that was too dry for my taste.

I agree too. I don't like cream or custard with my cake and IMO, it shouldn't need it. The only cake I like here is a madeira cake which is more like a butter pound cake.

LOL! I wish! But if you lived closer, I'd bake you a cake to prove that UK recipes are good! 

LOL. One of these days, I'll take you up on that offer! In fairness, I don't bake a lot of cake myself. So my opinion is largely based on cake I've eaten from bakeries, tea shops, and restaurants in the UK.

Pkmac, I do love the madeira cake. I always hated it when MIL bought a loaf of it from M&S because I just couldn't not eat it in large quantities. It was the exception to my 'UK store bought cake is icky' rule.

LOL. One of these days, I'll take you up on that offer! In fairness, I don't bake a lot of cake myself. So my opinion is largely based on cake I've eaten from bakeries, tea shops, and restaurants in the UK.

My opinion is based on all the homemade cakes people brought into work. I was there for a year and ONE person brought in a moist cake.

My opinion is based on all the homemade cakes people brought into work. I was there for a year and ONE person brought in a moist cake.

Me too. Staff are always bringing in homemade stuff for their birthdays. My friend who is very into baking brings stuff for me to try all the time. (Mary Berry devotee)  Luckily we're close enough to be brutally honest; she doesn't like the fluffiness of american cakes and I don't like the stodge.   

Sorry Chary    Let's have a bakeoff! What'cha doing in October? 

Teletabby, you are more than welcome to toddle your pregnant self to my house and eat banana bread all day long. You can be my taste tester! 

Aw, he he he, thanks babe!  Just wish you were closer, otherwise you'd never be able to get rid of us! 

Aw, he he he, thanks babe!  Just wish you were closer, otherwise you'd never be able to get rid of us! 

  Our house is open anytime you wanna come oop norf... 

My opinion is based on all the homemade cakes people brought into work. I was there for a year and ONE person brought in a moist cake.

I had a nice, moist lemon drizzle cake someone brought into work. Maybe it depends on the type of cake. Though, to be fair, I love anything lemon, so I probably shoveled it in too fast to notice what it was really like.